


I Heard Enough This Ends Now (Fictober Submission)

by PerpetualSpinster



Category: Black Panther (2018)
Genre: Multi, Soft M'Baku (Marvel), dad m'baku
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-09-06 10:16:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16830637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerpetualSpinster/pseuds/PerpetualSpinster
Summary: M'Baku comforts his child after a tough day at school.





	I Heard Enough This Ends Now (Fictober Submission)

M’Baku comes to his home with relief. It is the one place where he can be fully and completely himself and in peace. He was blessed to have a loving wife to come to and provide him with the love and support a leader of the Jabari kingdom would ever ask for. 

The smell of dinner wafts into his nostrils as his stomach lurches from hunger. Running drills with his army was more tiresome today as a blizzard had hit their mountain range that afternoon. No amount of snow stops a Jabari from getting their exercise however; just strap on an extra pelt for warmth and get to work.

M’Baku shakes off his furs and boots to make his way to the kitchen. He observes his wife Folade stirring the pot of stew laboriously. His excitement gets the best of him as he walks up slowly behind her, gripping her wide hips, pressing against her.

She jumps a bit before lightly elbowing him back. “M’Baku, what is the meaning of this?”

M’Baku laughs from his belly, swaying her hips slowly. “Love: It is the meaning to life and you are mine.”

Folade sighs, turning down the fire and topping the pot. “Your love does not like cold hands creeping around her body.”

“Then help me to get them warm…” M’Baku growls deeply as he gives her behind a hearty smack.

Folade turns around swiftly, trying to give him a stern look while fighting back a smile. “Why you- you’d better be glad I have other things I want to discuss with you.”

Folade kisses her husband, the fullness of their lips provide an audible soundtrack of adoration for one another.

“What is that, my love?” M’Baku asks, completely drunk from her lips.

Folade looks away, brushing him back from her as she goes to sit at their kitchen table. “There is a problem with Yejide.”

M’Baku ‘s expression drops to a tense one. “What do you mean. Is she alright? What happened?”

Folade waves her hands. “She is fine and well, please. Sit down a moment.”

M’Baku follows instruction, sitting down hesitantly to prepare for the news.

Folade holds her hands together anxiously. “I spoke with her instructor at school today and there has been some problems, as of late.”

“Has she been acting out? That’s unlike her, are you sure the teacher is reliable?” M’Baku fires off questions right and left.

Folade reaches her hand across the table for M’Baku to take. “You are too riled up already, I need you to be calm about this.”

M’Baku sighs exasperatedly. “I will…restrain myself. Please, just tell me everything.”

“Her instructor says that there is another student that has been poking fun at her on occasion, and it especially upset her today.”

“How long has it been happening?”

Folade shrugs. “Maybe a couple weeks, that they know of.”

“Why am I just knowing about this? She seems so happy when I see her, she never told me.”

“I know, I just found out about it today. I let the teacher know how displeased I was that we weren’t notified earlier. But I want you to talk to her tonight. Last I checked in on her, she was just laying in bed quietly. I know her Baba always knows how to make her happy.”

M’Baku looks to the floor as the news of the day weighed heavy on him. Getting up he walks around the table, kissing Folade on the forehead before walking back to his daughter’s room.

Knocking on the door, he waits to hear her. “Yeji, it’s Baba. May I come in, sweetheart?”

A small voice calls from inside. “Yes….”

M’Baku opens the door slowly to see his princess turned toward the wall, much like how Folade described to him earlier. The contrast of her small frame laying still on the bed broke his heart. Yejide always greeted him with hugs and a smile to light up a thousand universes, yet his little light lay dim in her bed.

M’Baku sits on the edge, laying a hand on her back. “How are you feeling, my child? Your mother told me you had a rough day.”

Yejide’s little hand swipes at her face followed by a sniffle. “A girl at school was mean to me today, Baba.”

M’Baku’s shoulder fell depressively as her angelic voice spoke of sorrow. “What did she do, Yeji?”

She sits up, hugging her stuffed purple gorilla to her chest. “She told me that my hair looked funny and laughed.” Yejide touched her bantu knots, looking at her daddy with glossy eyes.

M’Baku rests a hand on her knees, pursing his lips. “You know that is not true, right? Do you think your hair is silly?” Yejide shakes her head. “And didn’t Mama do your hair?” Yejide nods. “And she wouldn’t have you looking silly, right?” Folade comes to the door, listening in on their conversation.

Yejide nods. “I know Baba, but she made me feel bad, I didn’t like it. She told me that I have cooties and told people not to sit by me at lunch. And-and-and she said she thinks I am weak…she said I was weak like you.”

M’Baku raises an eyebrow at this. “Excuse me?”

Yejide, hugs her plushie tighter. “Because King T’Challa beat you that one time…”

M’Baku goes to stand. “I heard enough, this ends now.”

Folade walks in. “Baku, do not make this about pride now. Your daughter needs you more than your ego.”

M’Baku stood there steaming. His pride was his bread and butter; it comes with being the leader of a tribe, providing authority and guidance. 

“This girl is a callous on my daughter’s heel that needs to be buffed away.” He looked back to his baby girl, hiding her face within her stuffed toy.

He sits back down on her bed, reaching out. “Come here, darling.”

She looks up, eyes red and sad, hugging her Baba tightly around the neck. Folade sits next to them, patting her daughter’s head as M’Baku holds her, without any sign of letting go.

“Yejide, I will give that girl one bit of credit. You are not as strong as me, but stronger. You are smarter and more caring and those traits will take you much farther than I can even imagine.” He pulls away from Yejide to look her in her face, wiping her tears. “But people will try to make you forget how great you are. Do not let them persuade you. Those same people will be behind you as you lead them onward. Stay the beautiful, intuitive, and intelligent young lady you always have been. If she bothers you again, I can come up there and make sure she understands not to mess with you-”

“M’Baku!” Folade whispers, scolding him.

Yejide shakes her head, finally having stopped crying. “That’s ok Baba. I had a good day today.”

M’Baku looked at his child confused. “But, I thought you hadn’t, because of her?”

Yejide bit her lip. “I settled things with her. When I bopped her in the mouth, I made new friends who stand up for me.”

M’Baku blinks repeatedly in shock as Folade questions her. “Yejide! You did not tell me you fought her.”

“I’m sorry Mama. I thought you may be mad at me, so I told Baba.”

M’Baku held her little waist excitedly. “That is great news to me!”

“We can’t teach her violence!” Folade insists. 

M’Baku looks to his wife. “This is true, and Yeji, you cannot do that to solve all problems. Talk to us before you think about doing that again. But, my goodness!”

Yejide smiled for the first time since he got home. “No one talks about my hair or my Baba. I will not have it!”


End file.
